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Akiles iCoil 41+ 4:1 Pitch Coil Binding Machine Review

Posted by: James on July 10th, 2013

If you like making things by yourself, you are the perfect candidate for a book binding machine. These machines make it possible to create your own cookbooks, scrapbooks, books, manuals, presentations, photo albums and more. If you are shopping around for a machine, and need one that is compact and modern, the Akiles iCoil 41+ (found here) is an excellent option. This product has been out for a few years now and I would like to share my personal thoughts on the machine.

Akiles makes awesome machines. I can’t think of any other way to put it. Their products work and they seem to always work well. Part of it is the quality control they put into the manufacturing process. Where other machines may have a few rough edges, Akiles products are always well refined and finished. Akiles makes over a dozen different comb, wire and coil binding machines. If the iCoil 41+ isn’t your cup of tea, consider another Akiles products.

The iCoil 41+ is a 4:1 pitch coil binding machine. This means that it punches a total of 4:1 holes, which ends up being around 44 holes along the 11” side of a sheet of paper. If you already own an iCoil 41+, do not purchase 5:1 pitch coils. They won’t work. The holes have to line up, like a jigsaw puzzle.

There are many reasons I like this machine so much. For one, it is extremely compact. This is nice if you have limited desk space like I do. The binding arm will easily fold down and the back paper support will fold down to act as a dust cover. There is even a little nook where you can store the included coil-crimping pliers. All compacted, it can fit in many drawers and be tucked away in many cabinets.

This machine is actually very similar to the standard Akiles iCoil 41 (found here), but includes the Akiles “Plus” hole pattern. The plus hole pattern has an oval shape to it rather than round. This helps make coil insertion a little faster and page turns a little easier. Personally I think it looks really nice. The iCoil 41+ isn’t the only machine that features the plus hole pattern. Akiles offers a wide range of coil binding machines with and without the plus hole pattern.

Using this machine is actually pretty easy. You place the paper in the vertical punching slot (vertical helps keep paper edges aligned), you pull the handle to punch the paper (repeat as needed) and then insert the coil through the first 3-4 holes. An included electric coil inserter is then used to insert the coils the rest of the way through. This is done by using a foot pedal, allowing for hands-free operation.

I would recommend this machine be used for home or small office use. It can be used to bind a few to a few dozen books a day. If you need something more robust, I recommend going with one of the Akiles CoilMac machines. Overall I consider this machine to be an excellent value for the money.